More details emerge about The Hideout

The space that formerly housed The Void shifts into neighborhood bar

More details have emerged about The Hideout, the new venue opening up at 3519 El Cajon Blvd.

The owners—who have chosen not to identify themselves—have invested in some upgrades to the bar and tentatively plan to have it open in February. In a conversation with CityBeat at the venue, while renovations were taking place, manager Allen Colaneri said The Hideout, whose tagline is "Grains, hops and music," will operate more like a neighborhood bar, expanding its hours to much earlier in the afternoon, and expanding the menu of beverages, from beers to craft cocktails. And, eventually, he says, they plan to serve food.

“It’s an everybody bar,” Colaneri says. “It’ll be comfortable, and you can feel right at home.”

One rumor about The Hideout that Colaneri wants to dispel, however, is that it won’t host regular live shows. Right now, it has three shows lined up: Warm Soda on March 6, The Casket Girls on March 7 and Solids on March 9. But Colaneri says there will be plenty more live music to follow.

“The new owners love music,” he says, “and we’ve all been going to The Casbah since we turned 21.”

Given that the space has closed so many times in the past—whether as The Void, Radio Room, Eleven or Zombie Lounge—there's a perceived risk about investing into a place that has been unsuccessful in the past. But Colaneri is hopeful that by putting some extra work and money into the club, it might be a positive example for other potential businesses along El Cajon Boulevard.

“That is the big question—whether we’re going to be a catalyst,” Colaneri says. “It’d be great if that happens.”